modboy
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Q: Transferring data from one external drive to another

HI,

 

I want to get a new external hard drive and transfer all of the data from my old one - which is not full, but has started to click and operate slowly. The old external hard drive is where I keep the music files for my itunes library, as well as all my personal files. I run all software on my iMac, OS 10.6.8 (i.e. the itunes Library files are on the imac's internal hard drive - the music files themselves are on the external).

 

Is there a link or a manual that someone can point me towards to perform this operation smoothly?

 

Much appreciated,

Scott

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), data on external hard drive

Posted on Apr 3, 2014 8:45 AM

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modboy

Q: Transferring data from one external drive to another

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  • by Limnos,Helpful

    Limnos Limnos Apr 3, 2014 9:16 AM in response to modboy
    Level 9 (54,353 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 3, 2014 9:16 AM in response to modboy

    Make sure the new drive is formatted Mac OS extended.  You don't need to do anything fancy with erasing or partitioning.

     

    Kappy's brief drive formatting instructions (12/2012) - https://discussions.apple.com/message/20571091#20571091

     

    BDAqua's Formatting instructions - http://discussions.apple.com/message/8901255

     

    Pondini: Formatting,  Partitioning, Verifying,  and  Repairing  Disks... - http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html, specifically http://pondini.org/OSX/DU1.html

     

    Drag all the contents of one drive to the other.  This make take some time and you may wish to break it up into groups of folders.

     

    Once you have the iTunes folder on the new drive you will encounter a problem because you decided to keep your library files on the internal drive and your media files on the external drive (not normally recommended unless you have specific reason for not keeping them all in the iTunes folder in one place).  Unless you give the new drive exactly the same name and folder structure as far as iTunes is concerned you will end up with broken links for all your tracks because iTunes will look for them on the old drive.  If you keep iTunes's normal preferences for managing media but have simply redirected it to use an external drive, change the preferences in iTunes so it is now pointing to the media folder on the new drive.

     

    Hold on, you aren't done yet. Your links are still broken.  Click on a track.  When iTunes asks you to find it, look for the particular file in your media folder on the new drive.  Hopefully iTunes will ask if you want to find others too and will do so automatically (be patient).

  • by modboy,

    modboy modboy Apr 3, 2014 9:30 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 3, 2014 9:30 AM in response to Limnos

    Thanks much. After transferring everything, I will name the new drive exactly the same as the old one, hopefully that will minimize the broken links.

    I always was told to keep media files and all other data not software related on an external drive, rather than on the same hard drive as the itunes software. Is that an old wives tale?

    Thanks again.

  • by Limnos,Helpful

    Limnos Limnos Apr 3, 2014 9:57 AM in response to modboy
    Level 9 (54,353 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 3, 2014 9:57 AM in response to modboy

    The iTunes application is one thing (needs to stay on your main internal drive), but there are two other sets of files.  One is all your media files.  The other set is the "library files" which keep things organized and provide additional information for iTunes to use.  These, plus media files, are what are normally all contained in your iTunes library folder and are best kept together unless you have specific reason to do otherwise.

     

    What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660

     

    More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management

     

    What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html

     

    Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391

  • by modboy,

    modboy modboy Apr 3, 2014 10:04 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 3, 2014 10:04 AM in response to Limnos

    Great advice, thanks again.